The Challenge Drabbles
by 800 words of heaven
Summary: A series of drabbles written for challenges on HPFT.
1. There Was a Moment

It all began with a diary.

There was a moment, near the beginning, when George wondered what it was with Weasleys and diaries belonging to evil people.

That moment was long gone, now. The more he read – and reread – the diary, the less it mattered that Quirinus Quirrell had died because he'd had You-Know-Who growing out of his head.

No, George didn't see any of that. He didn't see Quirrell's ambition, or his thirst for power. He didn't see his naivety, or his arrogance in thinking that he could control the evillest wizard in recent history.

What George _did_ see was a young boy who'd been bullied mercilessly for his stammer. A brilliant mind chained down by inconsequential yet insurmountable worries. A soul that hungered for the greatness and recognition he knew he deserved.

George took off to see the world, following in the ghostly footsteps of a young man who'd lost his way on the path to glory, the battered diary clutched in his hand.

There was a moment, near the place where Quirinus Quirrell had met the beginning of his end, that George wondered why he was destined to only love ghosts.

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**AN: Hey, folks! This was written for aelaia's Riddikulus Ship Challenge. My ship was George Weasley/Quirinus Quirrell – a wild ship, I know! I've never really written a drabble before – or such a wacky ship – so I'd love to hear your thoughts.**

**Adios, amigos! :D **


	2. Helpless

You couldn't help but fall in love with Lily Evans.

They sat in a cosy corner of the Three Broomsticks, a fire roaring in the hearth, warding off the chill November breeze that chased everyone indoors this evening. It had been this very day, exactly a year ago, when they'd gone on their first date.

James rested his face in his hands, and watched his girlfriend.

Her hair glowed in a fiery halo around her face, the light brightening the frizz until it dazzled. Her green eyes sparkled, as she watched the other patrons, sipping on her butterbeer.

It was so nice to see the worry and fear that almost constantly dogged them these days temporarily banked for the evening. It had been their choice to join the Order immediately after graduating from Hogwarts, but neither of them had realised just how _quickly_ this war against darkness would take its toll.

But tonight, all of that was to one side. They'd decided to take the evening off and just enjoy being with each other, celebrating their relationship.

Lily turned to face him, and reached out for his hand.

James took her hand, and silently promised that he'd never let go.

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**AN: Hello, friends! This drabble was written for MadiMalfoy's Broadway Musical Song Challenge. This story was inspired by the song 'Helpless' from ****_Hamilton_****. As you can tell, they also share a title. It's been ages since I wrote a Jily, and this song seemed perfect. It was especially fun writing it from James' perspective, as the original song is from the female perspective. Let me know your thoughts on if the gender reversal worked for you.**

**Music and lyrics of 'Helpless' are by Lin-Manuel Miranda. **

**Adios, amigos! :D**


	3. In a Land of Myth, and a Time of Magic

"Gaius!"

Gaius sighed, and put down the mortar on the worktable. "There's no need to yell," he muttered. "We're in the same room."

Merlin lifted his head and gave him a sheepish grin. "Sorry. Come have a look at this."

Not bothering to wait for Gaius, he dragged the heavy tome across the table. Gaius winced, trying not to imagine the damage.

Uncaring of potentially destroying a priceless collection of human consciousness, Merlin jabbed excitedly at a detailed drawing of a castle.

"Yes, Merlin," Gaius said patiently. "That's a castle. Different to the one we live in, but there _are_ others." Honestly, didn't they _teach_ peasant boys anything, these days?

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Yes, I _know_ it's a castle, Gaius. But look what it says!"

Gaius dutifully bent over the book to read the tiny inscription under the sketch. Where had he put his glasses…

"It's a school!" Merlin said excitedly, his gangly body barely able to contain his excitement. "For – for _people like me!_"

Gaius squinted. Finally, the inscription came into focus: _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_.

Shocked, Gaius looked at Merlin. "Well, then," he said. "Find a map, boy. We must locate this place called Scotland!"

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**AN:** **Hello, folks! Here we are, at the end of another challenge drabble! This one is for Firefrenzy_'s Slytherin-Centric Challenge. I was allowed to bend the rules a little, and write about Merlin (who is a canon Slytherin)… but the Merlin from the 2008 BBC series ****_Merlin._**** This is my first crossover, so I'm pretty excited about this one! Let me know your thoughts!**

**The title for this chapter is from the opening title of the show, as spoken by John Hurt.**

**Adios, amigos! :D**


	4. Another Day at the Clinic

When Hannah Abbot had filled out the application forms for St Mungo's Healer Trainee program, she'd anticipated not enjoying every single day of the next three years. But this clinic… was _a drag_.

It wasn't as if she was doing much. No, her main job as a Trainee Healer was to sit quietly in the corner of the consulting room, and observe. Most of the time, she tried to work on her skills of active listening, leaning forward in her seat, nodding encouragingly at whatever the patient was saying, and remembering to wear the appropriate expression on her face. Her brain would scramble to make sense of what the patient was saying, trying to figure out what she'd need to do next to find out what was going on – and what to tell the patient in the meantime.

Once the most recent patient had left, Hannah took the opportunity to yawn, her jaw almost cracking with the effort. She'd thought she was safe, since her supervisor was bent over her notes.

Her supervisor took that moment to turn around and ask her brightly, "Any questions?"

Hannah abruptly clacked her jaw shut. Well. There went her thin veneer of utter focus.

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**AN:** **Hello! This drabble was written for you-make-wander's Take a Wizard to Work Day Challenge. The task was to write our own real-world job into the Wizarding World. I'm a medical student, so I thought I'd write about the sometimes-monotonous hours that can be spent in a clinic. I loved revisiting Hannah, exploring what her time in training might have been like. Let me know your thoughts!**

**Adios, amigos! :D**


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